Mesothelioma Info

Malignant Mesothelioma is a rare cancer that occurs in a thin layer of tissue that covers most of the internal organs (mesothelium).

Mesothelioma is an aggressive and deadly form of cancer. Treatment for mesothelioma is indeed available, but for many people suffering from mesothelioma, complete healing is not possible.

Doctors divide mesothelioma into various types based on which part of the mesothelium is affected by cancer. Mesothelioma most commonly affects the tissues surrounding the lungs (pleura). This type is called malignant pleural mesothelioma. Other types of mesothelioma (rarely encountered) affect the tissue in the abdomen (called peritoneal mesothelioma), located around the heart and around the testes. Mesothelioma is not a form of non-cancerous (benign) tumor, occurring in the chest, sometimes referred to as benign mesothelioma or solitary fibrous tumor.

Symptoms Signs and symptoms of mesothelioma may vary, depending on the location of the cancer in the body. Pleural mesothelioma, which affects the tissues surrounding the lungs, causes signs and symptoms of:

Chest pain under the rib cage

Cough with pain • Shortness of breath

Clumps of tissue underneath the skin on the chest

Weight loss that is not can be explained

Peritoneal mesothelioma, which occurs in the tissues in the stomach, has signs and symptoms that may be: